Water-purification jug, for domestic use

ABSTRACT

A filter jug for purifying water for domestic use comprises a container ( 2 ) divided at least into a first compartment ( 8 ) and a second compartment ( 9 ) intercommunicating through a filter cartridge ( 11 ), and a first duct ( 12 ) and a second duct ( 13 ) for the admission and for the discharge of the water to the first compartment and from the second compartment ( 8, 9 ), respectively. Flow-measuring means ( 15 ) and counting means ( 14, 14   a,    14   b ), associated therewith, are provided in the jug in at least one of the ducts ( 12, 13 ), for determining the total quantity of water treated by the filter cartridge ( 11 ) so as to identify the reaching of a limit quantity above which the cartridge should be considered exhausted.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a filter jug for purifying water, fordomestic use, according to the preamble to the main claim.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Filter jugs of the above-mentioned type generally have filter cartridgeswhich purify the water admitted to the jug, for example, by adsorptionon activated carbon. However, these cartridges are subject to exhaustionof their filtering capacity and they therefore have to be replaced aftera predetermined period of use or after they have treated a predeterminedlimit quantity of water.

Within the technical field to which the invention relates, a need hastherefore emerged to provide suitable systems which can indicate to theuser the moment at which it is necessary to replace the exhaustedcartridge.

It is known, for example, from the Applicants international patentapplication No. PCT/EP95/04231 to provide, on the jug, counting means,associated with a removable lid of the jug, for counting the number oflid-opening and closure cycles. The amount of water treated by thefilter cartridge is deduced indirectly from this count, upon theassumption that the jug is filled upon each opening and subsequentclosure of the lid.

This measurement clearly lacks reliability since it is in no waycorrelated with a direct measurement of the amount of water admitted tothe jug.

It is also known to incorporate in the filter cartridge means which aresensitive to the flow or to the presence of water and which can indicatethat the cartridge is exhausted as a result of a structural change of anelement of the means, resulting from prolonged contact with water. Sincethese means are incorporated in the cartridge, they have to be replacedwith the cartridge from time to time, which can lead to an excessiveIncrease in the price of the cartridge or, in order to limit costs, tothe selection of low-quality systems with poor reliability, for example,of the ablation type.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The problem underlying the present invention is to provide a filter jugwhich is devised structurally and functionally to overcome thelimitations set forth above with reference to the prior art mentioned.

Within the scope of this problem, an object of the invention is toprovide a jug in which the parameters of use of the cartridge areIndicated in a manner such as to permit an easy assessment of its usefullife, also indicating the reaching of one of the maximum limits providedfor the said parameters of use.

This problem is solved and this object is achieved by the presentinvention by means of a filter jug for purifying water, for domesticuse, formed in accordance with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics and the advantages of the invention will becomeclearer from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof,given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appendeddrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic, side elevational and sectioned view of a filterjug formed in accordance with the present invention,

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged views of respective variants of a detailof FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a filter jug formed in accordancewith a variant of the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In the drawings, a filter jug formed in accordance with the presentinvention is generally indicated 1.

The jug 1 comprises a container 2 in which a base 3 and a mouth 4,opening at the opposite end, are identified.

The mouth 4 of the container 2 is closed, except for a pouring spout 5,by a removable lid 6. A handle 7 is also fitted on the container 2,diametrally opposite the pouring spout 5.

The container 2 is divided into a first compartment 8 and a secondcompartment 9, separated from one another by a dividing wall 10 andintercommunicating through a filter cartridge 11 which is fittedremovably in a seat extending through the dividing wall 10.

The first compartment 8 extends in the region of the mouth 4 of thecontainer 2 and is closed by the lid 6 in which, however, a first duct12, opening towards the exterior, is defined for the admission of waterto the first compartment 8. The first duct 12 can preferably be closedby a plug or gate-valve element, not shown in the drawings. The secondcompartment 9 is defined in the base 3 of the container 2 and is in flowcommunication with the pouring spout 5 by means of a second duct 13defined between the dividing wall 10 and the wall of the container 2,for the discharge of the water from the second compartment 9.

With reference to FIG. 1, the jug 1 comprises means for measuring theflow of water admitted to the first compartment 8 through the first duct12 and means 14 for counting the total amount of water measured by themeasuring means.

The measuring means comprise a turbine wheel 15 which projects into thefirst duct 12 and can rotate about a shaft 16 as a result of the flow ofwater through the first duct 12.

For this purpose, the turbine wheel 15 comprises blades 15 a extendingradially across the cross-section of the first duct 12 so as to bestruck by the water admitted along it. Preferably, the first duct 12 isshaped in a manner such as to convey the entire flow of water towardsthe turbine wheel 15 by means of a guide 17.

The shaft 16 extends transverse the direction of flow of the water andserves to transmit the rotational movement to the counting means 14which are provided for detecting and adding up the number of revolutionsperformed by the turbine wheel 15. In a first variant of the invention(FIG. 2), the counting means 14 are mechanical and comprise a system ofgears 18 kinematically connected to a toothed wheel 18 a mounted firmlyon the shaft 16 at the end remote from the turbine wheel 15. The systemof gears, which is shown schematically and partially in FIG. 2, isoperatively connected to a drum counter 19 on which the amount of waterwhich has passed through the first duct 12 is shown in figures. Thedimensions and calibration of the system of gears 18 are such as toconvert the number of revolutions of the turbine wheel 15 into thecorresponding amount of water, expressed in suitable units ofmeasurement, for example, in litres.

It is envisaged that, instead of being mechanical, the counting meansmay be optoelectrical means, generally indicated 14 a in FIG. 3, orelectromechanical means, generally indicated 14 b in FIG. 4, or evenelectronic means, not shown.

In the first case, an optical indicator 20, for example, of the camtype, is keyed to the shaft 16 and associated with a fixed opticaldetector 21 located in the vicinity of the shaft 16 and capable oftransmitting an electrical pulse each time the optical indicator 20passes in front of it. The electrical pulses transmitted by the opticaldetector 21 are collected, processed and stored by a control unit 22. Itwill be noted that, in this case, there is no contact between themeasuring members (in movement) and the detection members (fixed), thuspreventing the problems of wear of mechanical devices.

In the second case, the number of revolutions performed by the turbinewheel 15 is detected by interaction between a cam 25 fixed for rotationwith the shaft 16 and an appendage 26 connected to an electrical switch27. Upon each passage of the cam 25, the appendage 26 is moved from itsrest position (shown by a continuous line in FIG. 4), operating theswitch 27 and thus transmitting an electrical pulse to a control unit 28functionally similar to the control unit 22 of the counter means 14 a.

As a further alternative, it is possible to use flow-measurement meansand/or entirely electronic counting means, for example, of thecapacitive type or of other known types.

In view of the fact that the useful life of the filter cartridge 11depends not only on the total quantity of water treated but also on theperiod of use, time-measurement means, for example, including achronometer 29, are advantageously provided on the jug 1.

The jug 1 also comprises indicator means which can display the amount ofwater added up by the counting means 14 and/or the time measured by thechronometer 29. These indicator means comprise a liquid-crystal display30 associated with the chronometer 29 and, if the counting means aremechanical, the drum counter 19.

If the jug is provided with one of the counting means 14 a, 14 bdescribed above with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, all of the data canadvantageously be displayed on the display 30.

To facilitate reading of the parameters of use of the filter cartridge11, the indicator means are preferably of the “countdown” type,displaying the amount of water which can actually still be filteredand/or the remaining life of the cartridge 11. The indicator means alsoinclude devices for setting or resetting both the limit quantity ofwater which can be treated by the cartridge 11 and its maximum period ofuse.

Signalling means 32 are also connected to the indicator means (or to thecounting means by means of the control unit 22, 28) for signalling theexhaustion of the filtering capacity of the cartridge 11, reminding theuser to replace it.

This event is determined by the reaching of the preset limit quantity ofwater treated or by the reaching of the maximum period of use.

The signalling means 32 may be acoustic (for example, a “beeper”), oroptical (for example, an indicator lamp).

The jug 1 is also equipped with locking means 35 which can lock theturbine wheel 15 when one of the limit quantity of water treated by thecartridge 11 and its maximum period of use has been reached.

The locking means are operatively connected to the indicator means or tothe counting means (for example, to the control unit 22 or 28 of thecounting means 14 a, 14 b) and are combined with the signalling means 32to deter the user from using the filter cartridge 11 once it isexhausted. In fact, it will be noted that the locking of the turbinewheel 15 leads to at least partial obstruction of the first duct 12, infact preventing the admission of water to the first compartment 8.

The operation of the jug 1 in normal conditions of use is describedbriefly below. The water is admitted to the first compartment 8 of thecontainer 2 through the first duct 12. The turbine wheel 15 is rotatedby the flow of water through the duct, and also by virtue of theconveying effect of the guide 17. The counting means, provided in one ofthe embodiments described above, are thus activated, so as to add up therevolutions performed by the turbine wheel 15, correlating them with ameasurement of the total amount of water which has passed through thefirst duct 12.

The water admitted to the first compartment 8 then passes into thesecond compartment 9 through the filter cartridge 11, which purifies it.Once the water is in the second compartment 9, it is ready to be pouredout through the second duct 13 and the pouring spout 5.

When the amount of water added up by the counting means, or the periodof use measured by the chronometer 29, reaches the respective maximumlimit, the signalling means are activated to warn the user of the needto replace the cartridge 11 and, at the same time, the rotation of theturbine wheel 15 is locked by the locking means 35 to obstruct the firstduct 12.

The filter cartridge 11 is replaced in conventional manner by removingthe lid, extracting the exhausted cartridge and fitting the newcartridge. After the lid 6 has been closed again, the counting means arezeroed and reset.

FIG. 5 shows a variant of the jug 1 which differs substantially in thatthe turbine wheel 15 is located in the second duct 13 rather than in thefirst duct 12. The measurement of the flow of water treated by thefilter cartridge is thus performed when the water is discharged from thesecond compartment 9.

The present invention thus solves the problem discussed above withreference to the prior art mentioned, at the same time offering manyfurther advantages, amongst which is the fact that the measurementperformed is directly correlated with the quantity of water treated bythe filter cartridge. Moreover, none of the means described above andrequired for the determination of the parameters of use of the cartridge(measuring means, counting means, indicating means, signalling means,locking means) is incorporated in the cartridge. They do not thereforehave to be replaced periodically and the cost of the cartridge is notchanged.

1. A filter jug for purifying water for domestic use, comprising a lid(6) and a container (2) divided at least into a first compartment (8)and a second compartment (9) intercommunicating through a filtercartridge (11) which is susceptible to exhaustion at least when apredetermined limit quantity of water treated has been reached, and afirst duct (12) and a second duct (13) for the admission and for thedischarge of the water into the first compartment and from the secondcompartment (8, 9), respectively, wherein said first (12) and second(13) duct are realized in said container (2) and/or in said lid (6) andthat it comprises, in at least one of the ducts (12, 13), flow-measuringmeans (15) and counting means (14; 14 a; 14 b), associated with themeasuring means (15) for determining the total amount of water treatedby the filter cartridge (11) so as to identify the reaching of the limitquantity.
 2. A jug according to claim 1 in which the measuring meanscomprise a turbine wheel (15) which can rotate as a result of the flowof liquid through the duct (12), the counting means being arranged tocount the rotations of the turbine wheel (15) over time.
 3. A jugaccording to claim 2 in which the turbine wheel (15) is supported forrotation by a drive-transmission shaft (16) extending transverse thedirection of flow of the liquid in the duct (12).
 4. A jug according toclaim 3 in which the counting means (14) are mechanical and comprise asystem of gears (18) kinematically connected to the shaft (16).
 5. A jugaccording to claim 3 in which the counting mans (14 a) areoptoelectrical and comprise at least one optical indicator (20) fixedfor rotation with the shaft (16) and one optical detector (21) fordetecting the number of revolutions of the at least one opticalindicator (20).
 6. A jug according to claim 3 in which the countingmeans are electromechanical (14 b) or electronic.
 7. A jug according toclaim 1 in which the counting means (14; 14 a; 14 b) are operativelyconnected to indicator means (30; 19) for displaying the amount of watertreated by the filter cartridge (11).
 8. A jug according to claim 7 inwhich the indicator means (30; 19) are of the “countdown” type, arrangedto display the remaining filtering capacity of the filter cartridge(11).
 9. A jug according to claim 1 in which the counting means (14; 14a; 14 b) or the indicator means (30; 19) are operatively connected tosignaling means (32) which can be activated when the limit quantity isreached in order to signal the exhaustion of the filter cartridge (11).10. A jug according to claim 1, arranged for the use of filtercartridges susceptible to exhaustion upon the reaching of apredetermined maximum period of use, time-measurement means (29) beingprovided in the jug for identifying the reaching of the maximum periodof us.
 11. A jug according to claim 10 in which the time-measurementmeans (29) are operatively connected to the indicator means in order todisplay the remaining useful life of the filter cartridge (11).
 12. Ajug according to claim 10 in which the signaling means (32) areoperatively connected to the time measurement means (29) and can beactivated upon the reaching of the first of the limit quantity and themaximum period of use.
 13. A jug according to claim 1 in which means(35) for locking the turbine wheel (15) are provided and are arranged tolock the wheel when the limit quantity or the maximum period of use havebeen reached.